Seal for coin bags and the like



June 16, 1942. B. WHEELER 2,236,243 V SEAL FOR COIN-BAGS AND THEILIKE Filed Feb'. 20, 1941 Patented June 16, 1942 UNITED STATES PTNT OFFICE SEAL FOR COIN BAGS AND THE LIKE Lucius B. Wheeler, Newton, Mass.

Application February 20, 1941, Serial No. 379,853

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the closing and sealing of coin bags, and bags of a similar nature.

An object of the invention is to provide a sealing device, simple in construction and modern in appearance, that will quickly and efiectually close the bag and safeguard its contents against tampering.

This seal is formed complete from one piece of metal, and because of this and other differences, it is contended that it has certain advantages over other types of bag seals now in general use, as follows:

1. It is lighter in weight, thereby effecting a saving in transportation.

2. It is more compact, thereby taking up less space in storage.

3. It has no cords to tangle.

4. It has the strength of hard metal.

5. It can be removed without the need of a cutting instrument.

6. It can be manufactured from a variety of metals in a variety of finishes and colors, with or without individual markings.

7. It can be economically produced, thereby effecting a saving to the user.

To gain a clear understanding of the features of construction and the methods employed in tightening and sealing this device, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the seal, fiat, before bending.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the first step in the bending operation that is carried thru to completion in Fig. 5.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing further development of the bending operation begun in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view showing still further development of the bending operation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the seal same as Fig. 4, transposed counter-clockwise 180".

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5 except that it shows the strap I0 formed into a loop as it would be passed around the neck of a bag.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing how a tag 2| is attached to the seal.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the seal with tag attached. Strap ID has been formed into a loop as in Figs. 6 and 7 and the free end thereof has been passed through the enclosed portion.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the special tool or key that is used to tighten the seal when in position around the neck of the bag.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the diamond-shaped opening shown in Fig. 8, with strap l0 formed into a coil as a result of turning the key in a clockwise direction, after forked end 24 thereof has engaged strap Ni inside the opening.

Fig. 11 is a view showing seal and tag attached to bag. Note that strap H is tight around neck of bag and that enclosed portion of seal has a flattened appearance.

Fig. 12 is a detail view showing coil (Fig. 10) flattened as the result of applying pressure against the sides of the enclosed portion.

Fig. 13 is a View .of the top end of seal (Fig. 1) showing a modification in style of points used to contact fabric of bag.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which like reference numerals designate like parts, it! represents the narrow or strap section of the seal. I l represents that part of the strap section which is purposely made narrower where, under conditions of actual use, it would come in contact with the neck of the bag. The extent of this narrower portion from start of taper to throat 20 is determined by the circumference of the neck of the average bag. Numeral I2 refers to the wide or seal section as differentiated from the narrow or strap section It and the narrower section Ii. Numerals I3 and i5 designate slots in the wide or seal section to permit passage of strap in in the manner to be described later. Numeral l4 designates a slot or perforation located at the line of division between the two halves of, the wide section; said slot with its abutments serving as a hinge when the two halves are folded upon each other. Numeral It represents a slot wide enough to permit passage of the free end of strap Ill, and long enough to come in close juxtaposition with throat 20 when strap I0 is drawn through the slot as far as it will go. Numeral ll represents points or teeth at the extremity of the wide or seal section.

Now to explain how the seal works. First the flat piece (Fig. 1) must be bent and shaped until it resembles Fig. 5 before it is ready for use. To accomplish this the top half of the wide or seal section [2 is bent along lightly-scored line H), while the lower half of the same section is bent along lightly-scored line l8; both bends being in an upward direction as indicated in Fig. 2. Next, the free end of strap I0 is inserted in slot l6 and drawn all the way through, at the same time that the two halves are bent upon each other along the center line indicated by slot M. Fig. 3 shows the bends already formed at 19 and I8 and the new bend forming at [4. When strap I0 is pulled as far as it will go, the bent section, viewed from the side, is in the shape of a diamond (Fig. 4)

Next, the free end of strap I is turned in the direction of end section I? (Figs. 4 and 5) ready to be inserted in slot I3, as shown in Fig. 6.

The device is now ready to be placed in position on the bag. If a tag is to be used it is suspended from points ll by means of the slot 22 in the tag reinforcement (Fig. 7). The seal, with tag attached, is then placed around the neck of the bag, and the free end of strap I0 is inserted, first in slot 23 of the tag, and then in slot I3 (Fig. 6) of the seal itself. It is then impelled crosswise of the diamond-shaped enclosure through slot l5 (Fig. 8) until it protrudes therefrom.

At this point the operator is expected to adjust the points I! so that they come in contact with the fabric of the bag, and to exert enough pull on the free end of strap to make the loop fairly snug about the neck of the bag.

The final tightening is accomplished as follows: With the seal in position as shown in Fig. 8, a special tool or key (Fig. 9) is inserted in the diamond-shaped opening at one end of the enclosed portion of the seal so that the forked end of key engages, between its tynes, the narrow dimension of strap 10 extending between slots l3 and I5 (Fig. 8). The key is then turned in a clockwise direction until the loop about the neck of the bag is drawn sufficiently tight. This action results in the formation of a coil inside the diamond-shaped enclosure as shown in Fig. 10. The free end of strap 10 left protruding from the enclosure may now be removed by bending back and forth. To complete the operation of sealing, the sides of the enclosed portion containing the coil are compressed between the jaws of a tool, which has the effect of flattening the coil as shown in Fig. 12; The outward appearance of the seal is then as shown in Fig. 11.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A seal for coin bags and the like, of onepiece all-metal construction comprising a narrow strap section and a. wide seal section, said seal section. adapted to be folded. on a medial line and having a plurality of slots thru one of which the strap section is drawn to form a housing whose sides are composed of the upper and lower halves of the seal section bent on scored lines to bulge outwardly to a substantially tubular, diamond-shaped configuration with at least one slot disposed in each of the sides; the strap section then being flexed to pass thru the slots in the opposite walls of the housing and transversely therethru so that a portion of the strap is enclosed by the housing.

2. A seal for coin bags and the like, of onepiece all-metal construction comprising a narrow strap section and a wide seal section, terminating in a plurality of points or teeth arranged in series, said seal section adapted to be folded on a medial line and having a plurality of slots, thru one of which the strap section is drawn to form a housing whose sides are composed of the upper and lower halves of the seal section bent on scored lines to bulge outwardly to a substantially tubular, diamond-shaped configuration with at least one slot disposed in each of the sides; the strap section then being flexed to pass thru the slots in the opposite walls of the housing and transversely therethru so that a portion of the strap is enclosed by the housing.

3. A seal for coin bags and the like, comprising a narrow strap section and a wide seal section, said seal section adapted to be folded on a medial line and having a plurality of slots thru one of which the strap section is drawn to form an open-ended housing whose sides are composed of the upper and lower halves of the seal section bent on scored lines to bulge outwardly to a substantially tubular, diamond-shaped configuration with at least one slot disposed in each of the sides; the strap section then being flexed to'pass thru the slots in the opposite walls of the housing and transversely therethru so that a portion of the strap is enclosed by the housing; said enclosed portion of the strap adapted to be formed into a coil by external means and subsequently flattened by pressure externally applied.

LUCIUS B. WHEELER. 

